Placing a surgical patch over a myocardial infarction (“MI”) is being researched as a possible route for preventing an infarcted region from rapidly progressing towards heart failure (“HF”). Specifically, it has been suggested that placement of a surgical patch over a MI to contain left ventricle (“LV”) mechanical remodeling causes reasonable benefit and possible improvement in ejection fraction (“EF”). The patch reinforces the MI and distresses the entire MI region, thereby allowing the LV to maintain its shape and size and reducing the likelihood of HF.
Tissue in the region of an MI is damaged and has a reduced ability to contract as necessary to take part in the heart's pumping process. Thus, the MI region of the heart has a reduced ability to contribute to the heart's pumping process. Simply placing a surgical patch over a MI does not rectify the loss of pumping force caused by the MI.
There is a need in the art for a MI patch that at least in part rectifies the loss of pumping force caused by a MI. There is also a need in the art for a method of rectifying the loss of pumping force caused by a MI.